Connecticut Children's researcher receives prestigious NIH R01 award to study how pain-related stigma affects adolescents living with disorders of gut-brain interaction.
For Dr. Emily Wakefield, one of the most significant milestones in academic research began years ago with something much simpler: listening.
Throughout her career as both a clinician and researcher, Dr. Wakefield repeatedly heard from adolescents living with chronic pain who felt misunderstood, dismissed or not fully believed. Those conversations became more than patient stories—they became research questions.
Today, they have led to one of the highest honors in biomedical research.
Dr. Wakefield has received a prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 award to support her study, Pain-related Stigma in Adolescents with Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: Longitudinal Effects on Health Outcomes.
The research will examine how pain-related stigma influences adolescents' physical, emotional and social well-being over time, with the goal of identifying new ways to improve care and support for children and families.
"Receiving this R01 was incredibly meaningful both personally and professionally," Dr. Wakefield said. "It reflects confidence from the scientific community in the importance and rigor of the work, while giving us the opportunity to pursue research questions that I believe can make a real difference in the lives of children and families."
A Career Shaped by Mentorship and Patient Voices at Connecticut Children's
Dr. Wakefield's journey reflects years of mentorship, collaboration, and scientific growth. Her achievement is also a testament to Connecticut Children's commitment to developing research talent.
She began her career at Connecticut Children’s as a Research Assistant while completing her doctoral training in clinical psychology, later completing a Postdoctoral Fellowship, joining the Faculty, earning an NIH K23 Career Development Award recipient and now NIH R01 funding—an extraordinary progression that reflects years of mentorship, collaboration and institutional support.
She credits much of that success to the mentors who invested in her development.
While completing her doctoral training, Dr. William Zempsky introduced her to pediatric pain research by hiring her as a research assistant—an opportunity she says fundamentally changed the trajectory of her career. Over the years, he became not only a mentor but also a sponsor who consistently created opportunities and championed her development as a scientist.
Dr. Wakefield also credits the collaborative environment at Connecticut Children's. She has worked with an outstanding team of research coordinators and multidisciplinary colleagues, such as Dr. Corey Baker and Dr. Jeffrey Hyams. She has also felt incredibly supported by the collaborative infrastructure of the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute—from research administration and grant support to multidisciplinary partnerships through the Scientific Center for Child Health Equity Research and Innovative Outcomes (CHERIO).
"Our goal is to generate the evidence needed to improve care, reduce stigma, and ensure that every child living with chronic pain feels heard, believed, and supported.”
Emily Wakefield, Psy.D.,
Pediatric Pain Researcher at Connecticut Children's & Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Research Inspired by Children and Families
Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) affect approximately one in five children and adolescents and can cause chronic abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and other symptoms that significantly disrupt daily life. Yet many young people report feeling that their pain is minimized or dismissed because medical tests often fail to identify a clear structural cause.
Dr. Wakefield's research seeks to understand how those experiences of stigma influence health outcomes over time.
"Many of the advances we make in research and clinical care begin by listening to patients and families," she said. "Their voices matter, and they are helping shape a future where children living with chronic pain feel understood, supported and empowered."
A key component of the study is a Chronic Pain Advisory Group, which will partner with research team throughout the study to ensure the perspectives of patients and families continue to inform the work.
Advancing Research Through Collaboration
The five-year study brings together experts from Connecticut Children's, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), and UConn Health, combining expertise in pediatric pain, gastroenterology, psychology and biostatistics.
At Connecticut Children's, Dr. Corey Baker and Dr. Jeff Hyams helped establish the scientific foundation for the project by demonstrating preliminary evidence that pain-related stigma is a common and clinically significant experience among adolescents with disorders of gut-brain interaction. Together with collaborators across institutions, the team will address questions that no single investigator, discipline, or institution could answer alone.
Looking Ahead With funding secured, the research team is preparing to launch the study, train research staff, and begin enrolling adolescents and families at Connecticut Children's and WashU.
For Dr. Wakefield, however, success will not be measured by publications or grant milestones.
"Our goal is to generate the evidence needed to improve care, reduce stigma, and ensure that every child living with chronic pain feels heard, believed, and supported.”
